A devastating fire broke out around 3 am Saturday night at the Pulse nightclub in Kocani, North Macedonia, resulting in a catastrophic loss of life. According to preliminary reports from the Ministry of Interior, at least 53 people have died, while hundreds more have been injured.

Eyewitnesses describe scenes of chaos and desperation as emergency services struggled to respond to the magnitude of the disaster. Local media outlet Radio Kocani reported that rescue vehicles were overwhelmed by the number of victims. „Emergency and fire department vehicles were not enough to save the injured children lying on the streets while the nightclub remained engulfed in flames,“ one report stated. Civilians in private vehicles rushed victims to the town’s general hospital as authorities attempted to gain control over the situation.

North Macedonia’s Minister of Interior, Pance Toskovski, arrived at the scene soon after the fire broke out. Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski also headed to Kocani as the scale of the tragedy became clear. Social media posts captured the horrifying moment the fire ignited inside the crowded nightclub, showing panicked partygoers trying to escape.

Desperate parents gathered outside hospitals and police stations, searching for their children. One distraught man, the older brother of a 16-year-old girl who had been inside the club, shared his harrowing experience with local media. „I saw many dead bodies and hundreds of injured people. Imagine having to jump over corpses just to find your sister,“ he said.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the fire was triggered by sparks from pyrotechnic effects, which ignited decorative curtains on the ceiling. The flames spread rapidly, causing the roof to collapse as people inside struggled to evacuate. Minister Toškovski confirmed that initial findings indicate flammable interior materials fueled the fire. „At this moment, our priority is to establish all the facts, support the victims’ families, and ensure that such a tragedy never happens again,“ he said.

Authorities have detained several individuals connected to the nightclub’s event organization, and an operational task force has been established to oversee the investigation. All hospitals and medical facilities have been instructed to notify families as soon as victims are identified.

This tragedy marks one of the deadliest nightclub fires in recent history, sending shockwaves across North Macedonia and beyond.

North Macedonia declared a seven-day mourning.

Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic stated that Serbia will make all police, military and health capacity disposal to help North Macedonia.

The Government of Serbia declared Tuesday, March 18, as the day of mourningdue to the tragedy.